What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Montmorillonite
AbsorbentSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates Crosspolymer-4
Emulsion StabilisingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-50 Shea Butter
Emulsifying
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Montmorillonite, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Gluconolactone, Niacinamide, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Glycerin, PEG-50 Shea Butter, Titanium Dioxide, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Allantoin, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Centella Asiatica Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glycolic Acid, Tranexamic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural “glue” that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (that’s where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But don’t skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless you’re highly sensitive, it’s well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
